DESCRIPTION: Partial support is requested for the 1997 Gordon Research Conference to be held at Plymouth State College from June 29, through July 4, 1997. The thrust of the conference is on excitatory amino acids and brain function. The conference will include approximately 130 research investigators, including post-doctoral fellows and advanced graduate students. Specific topics to be covered include: 1) cell and molecular biology of excitatory amino acids (EAA) and their receptors; 2) EAA receptor topology and post-transcriptional modification; 3) EAA receptor signal transduction; 4) metabotropic EAA receptors; 5) role of EAAs in learning and memory; 6) role of EAAs in endocrine signaling; 7) EAAs in pathophysiologic diseases; and 8) EAAs in ischemic brain injury. The interdisciplinary nature of the conference encourages informal and open discussion among the participants, provides an environment for the development of new approaches, and allows for initiation of new collaborative efforts which could shape the future directions of this field.